Coto Donana, St. Lukar de Barrameda, Andalusia
The National Park of Donana, on the banks of one of Spain's largest rivers, the Guadarrama, has an extension of 50,000 hectares. It is the largest in Spain, and is quite well conserved. It was originally a private hunting ground, but has been bought back, almost completely, by the Spanish government. Umbrella pine and the shorter common juniper are the principle forms of vegetation. Large clumps of lentisc are to be seen, as well as clumped rushes that look like grass. We drove through it in high 4-wheel drive Mercedes Unimogs, able to manage quite deep mud and sand. Interesting were the huts of the workers of the hunting grounds, and we saw where charcoal was made. Wildlife sightings were common, and consisted mostly of the red deer, as well as a wild boar, seen rooting happily away. Cattle are still present, as well as horses. Some birds showed their wings, but among the most important was one individual of the severely endangered Spanish Imperial Eagle. Six pairs live in this huge preserve. A hoopoe darted in front of one of the vehicles, and a dove was seen by others. Dominating the scenery near the ocean are the giant sand dunes, which slowly advance, swallowing the vegetation in their way, to be pushed by the wind into the river miles upstream. After our visit, we returned to the town of St. Lukar to a hardy and delicious lunch of coquines with garlic and fresh bread, seafood soup, and a delicious piece of swordfish with tomato and pimento and a good dessert with strong coffee. After this we headed to Jerez de la Frontera where we tasted sherry wine at Sandeman's, and then returned to Cadiz to board our ship again.
The National Park of Donana, on the banks of one of Spain's largest rivers, the Guadarrama, has an extension of 50,000 hectares. It is the largest in Spain, and is quite well conserved. It was originally a private hunting ground, but has been bought back, almost completely, by the Spanish government. Umbrella pine and the shorter common juniper are the principle forms of vegetation. Large clumps of lentisc are to be seen, as well as clumped rushes that look like grass. We drove through it in high 4-wheel drive Mercedes Unimogs, able to manage quite deep mud and sand. Interesting were the huts of the workers of the hunting grounds, and we saw where charcoal was made. Wildlife sightings were common, and consisted mostly of the red deer, as well as a wild boar, seen rooting happily away. Cattle are still present, as well as horses. Some birds showed their wings, but among the most important was one individual of the severely endangered Spanish Imperial Eagle. Six pairs live in this huge preserve. A hoopoe darted in front of one of the vehicles, and a dove was seen by others. Dominating the scenery near the ocean are the giant sand dunes, which slowly advance, swallowing the vegetation in their way, to be pushed by the wind into the river miles upstream. After our visit, we returned to the town of St. Lukar to a hardy and delicious lunch of coquines with garlic and fresh bread, seafood soup, and a delicious piece of swordfish with tomato and pimento and a good dessert with strong coffee. After this we headed to Jerez de la Frontera where we tasted sherry wine at Sandeman's, and then returned to Cadiz to board our ship again.
